The Maryland Addiction Recovery Center recently opened in Towson to provide addicts new hope.

"We treat everything from heroin addiction, OxyContin addictions, all opiate addictions, cocaine addictions, all the way through process addictions, such as gambling, sexual issues and mental health issues that are co-occurring," said Sam Bierman, the center's director.

He said the center takes a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment, from a medical exam to individual, group and family counseling. It also has evening programs for working professionals.

"When you enter our program, we're going to look at every dimension and every access and the whole aspect of your life of what's going on. We're going to look at your family system. We're going to look at your living environment, and if that's a conducive environment to recover in. We're going to look at the relationships in your life with your spouse, your children, your parents. We're going to work on pretty much everything," Bierman said.

He said heroin addiction has become an especially big problem in and around Baltimore City.

Former Baltimore County drug czar Mike Gimbel said the area is in need of more treatment centers. The Affordable Care Act mandates coverage for addiction and mental health, so clients can use private centers like the new one through their insurance.

"People need to know that treatment is the most important component to solving the drug problem. We're not going to arrest our way out of it. We're not going to be putting people in prison. Treatment works. We know it works, and to be able to have it available when a person needs it is the most critical part of helping an addict," Gimbel said.

If the center is successful, it hopes to open up an in-patient program within the next year.